Sunday, May 5, 2024
TONASKET – For the second time this season, the Tonasket girls’ varsity basketball team, ranked fifth in the state 2B division, managed to hold on to a narrow lead and hold off the eighth-ranked Lady Bears, 59-54, in an exciting game on the Tigers’ home court Jan. 23. In an earlier game between the two teams on Jan. 2, the Lady Tigers won, 57-54.
It’s the first loss for the Lady Bears since hosting Tonasket. Brewster easily handled Liberty Bell, 61-15, on Jan. 19, and Liberty, 65-42, on Jan. 20.
The loss for the Lady Bears sets up a three-way battle between Central Washington 2B district leaders Okanogan, 7-1, Brewster. 7-2, and Tonasket, 6-2. So far this season Tonasket has defeated Brewster, Okanogan outscored Tonasket, and Brewster topped Okanogan.
Bears trounce Tigers
The Bears took an early 22-4 first-quarter lead over Tonasket, was up by 20, 39-19, at halftime, and survived a fourth quarter Tigers’ surge to win, 68-56.
Brady Wulf led all scorers with 24 points, Karden Gebbers had 18, Mario Camacho, 13, Cort Gebbers, 9, and Grant Baker, 4.
Liberty Bell tolls
It was a different story against Liberty Bell, ranked second behind undefeated Lake Roosevelt in the CW2B.
“We had a tough loss in a back-and-forth game with Liberty Bell,” said head coach Michael Taylor. “We’ve had a string of home games, which was nice, but we didn’t capitalize and get the wins we wanted.”
Following a close first quarter, the Mountain Lions took a five-point, 28-23, halftime lead. They extended that lead to eight by the end of the third and won 53-47.
“Liberty Bell has a good team and is proving it this season.” Said Taylor. “We have had some good games the last couple seasons and I knew they would be ready and excited to play us in our one league matchup this year. They can speed you out and attack from many areas which I thought they did well, and they really move well off the ball.”
The Bears had three players in double figures led by Cort Gebbers with 14, Camacho with 13, and Wulf with 12.
“We didn’t have a great performance overall and, in the end, they made more winning plays than we did,” said Taylor. “We left lots of points out on the floor, whether it be close range misses or free throws. We also gave up the ball too many times. This has plagued us all season.”
Brewster: 13-23-32-47
Liberty Bell: 11-28-40-53
Liberty falls in double O/T
Behind the 33 points of Wulf and 23 from Cort Gebbers the Bears managed to catch Liberty Spangle in the fourth quarter and win by five, 73-68, but it took two heart-stopping overtimes to get it done.
Following a 13-all first quarter the Lancers took a two-point halftime lead. Brewster turned the tables to lead by two at the end of the third and regulation ended in a 55-55 tie. The first overtime found both teams knotted at 61, before the Bears put it away by five. Other Bears’ scorers were Karden Gebbers with 11, and two points each for Camacho, Baker, and Henry Miller.
Brewster: 13-27-40-55-OT 61-OT 73
Liberty Spangle: 13-29-40-55-OT 61-OT 68
Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward, media
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